Daffodils – click on the images to enlarge them
A host, of golden daffodils”
This is Cambridge – wrapped in greenery and blossoms, full of wildlife and very village-like, although it has been urban and academic since the Middle Ages. This time I stayed at the edge of the town, close to Churchill College.
Cambridge horses
These horses look romantic, but in fact they are ill. This property on Madingley Road belongs to a veterinary research center.
My earlier trip to Cambridge was my very first experience of England, and I found it very, very strange. But this time I was staying with friends and had more time to explore the place. In fact, I even thought I would happily spend more time here. I visited three colleges (Fitzwilliam, Churchill and Robinson), and passed several more. I admired some very interesting buildings, such as the Judge Business School, which is built in some sort of supposedly oriental style. I also spent the first night ever at an Oxbridge college.
Cambridge feels extremely religious. It’s the only place so far where I’ve seen a poster wishing a “blessed and happy Lent”, and many streets, as well as colleges, are named after Christian saints, trinity, Jesus, etc.
Colleges are academic communities that organize day-to-day life for their students and fellows. People live, eat, study and rest there. Being accepted to a well-known college adds to the prestige of studying at Cambridge.
Panting by Clare’s college
Panting boats are a signature feature of Cambridge’s many canals. I still haven’t tried it.
Another interesting thing I had a chance to observe in Cambridge was a pub quiz at Sir Isaac Newton Pub on Castle Str. Most of the questions were from sports typical in England, but there were some from general education, which a foreigner could know as well, such as “what is the c in E=mc2?”
As always, people in Cambridge do not need to travel far – the whole world rushes to them. In addition to being one of the main intellectual hubs, the town would be a very nice place to stay a couple of days to enjoy nature and go people-watching.